Rescuers help find homes for Mineola’s homeless animals

A group called Pita’s Pals Canine Rescue fly homeless dogs out of East Texas to San Antonio where homes are found for the animals. Animal Control Officer Jordana Green is holding the dog on the leash. Mineola Police Sergeant Frank Hurst is on the left and Pilot Ron Bowers and his daughter are on the right.

Thanks to groups of animal rescuers across the state, the Mineola Animal Shelter has seen the euthanization rate of homeless animals decrease. One of those groups even utilizes airplanes to transport the animals.

The city of Mineola has an animal shelter that was built due to the city having a leash law. There are a limited number of kennels and cages for dogs and cats, as well as a variety of other creatures, that end up at the shelter and those working at the shelter try to keep animals as long as they possibly can.

Pita’s Pals Canine Rescue enlists a group of pilots who fly in to Wisener Field Airport in Mineola or to Pounds Field in Tyler to pick up animals. Animal Control Officer Jordana Green said the group had made about four trips, picking up about eight dogs that have been flown to San Antonio where homes are found for them. Her contact for that group is out of Boerne.

In addition to the pet-friendly pilots, Green gives credit to many rescue groups across the state for working with her to find homes for homeless animals. There are groups that adopt specific purebred animals, as well general groups. She estimates she has worked with 15 or 20 throughout the state. Judyann Masters is the contact person who helps the area rescue groups.

Green said some of the groups bus the animals to destinations in the northern part of the country where they do not have the number of stray dogs and cats that exist here. “It’s easier for them to get adopted,” she said, in some other places.

Green is also grateful to people who support the shelter contributing food, treats, blankets and beds to help give a few creature comforts to the animals housed there.